Italian food takes on a modern accent at Plate in Brookside

Plate offers something slightly different to the Brookside neighborhood.

The year-old bistro is owned and operated by Christian and Andrea Joseph, who also own the adjacent Season + Square, a spice shop specializing in small-batch foods and culinary goods, and the newly opened wine cellar, Taste.

The restaurant brands itself as “Italiano moderno,” a mostly apt description of the food on chef Brian Mehl’s small, seasonally rotating menu, which features small plate appetizers that share space with pasta, salads and entrées.

Plate is on the small side, with a bar that sits next to a narrow dining room connected by an open kitchen. I found the atmosphere lively, akin to a popular bistro in New York City. Even on a Tuesday evening, the dining room was so packed it could have been mistaken for a Saturday, with tables filled with diners drinking, eating and conversing over a subtle soundtrack. Plate might not be ideal if you’re looking for intimate conversation, but I found the ambiance a refreshing change of pace.

The service is professional and well-informed. Our server helped steer our drink orders, which included wine and the popular Rome Is Burning. The cocktail — a mix of J. Rieger rye whiskey and coffee liqueur — was set off by a dash of bitters and fresh sliced jalapeno, a combination indicating that Plate isn’t afraid of bold flavors mixed with a bit of spice.

The appetizer selection features a nice blend of classic Italian options, such as cannellini bean puree with bread or fried risotto, and more modern fare, including locally made charcuterie. One night they had already run out of two options, so we settled on an interesting-sounding pickled shrimp dish.

The shrimp was lightly chilled and firm but not chewy, a fault I’ve experienced with other versions of pickled shrimp. The dish popped with flavors of fresh herbs, earthy polenta and a sheep’s milk cheese, with a nice heat level that brought a refreshing vibrancy to each element. I would say the dish check-marked the “moderno” box, although the flavor profile could be described as Californian as much as Italian.

For a more classic Italian appetizer, try the arancini, or fried risotto balls, with chicken and cheese. The arancini was slight on the chicken but oozed a molten cheese center that contrasted nicely with the crispy fried exterior. Think of the arancini as a classy mozzarella stick, in the best possible way.

Any Italian restaurant is going to feature pasta. The ravioli I had was an eclectic mix of pasta infused with Aleppo pepper — a sweet, slightly smoky and spicy pepper — with a smoked corn gremolata and corn shoot garnish. The spice was very pronounced but didn’t quite overpower. The smoked corn gremolata made for a lovely complement that helped tie the dish together.

The pappardelle pasta, on the other hand, was reminiscent of sitting at an Italian grandma’s kitchen table. The wide pappardelle noodles made a nice nest for a white Bolognese sauce (traditional meat sauce without the tomato). There was nothing modern or fancy about the dish, just good, house-made pasta with a meaty Bolognese sauce as the perfect foil.

The entrée selections ranged from very good to just OK. For instance, a pork tenderloin sounded better on the page than as presented, with a balsamic marmellata that overpowered the nicely cooked pork tenderloin.

The beef tenderloin I had on another visit could not have been any more different. I usually find beef tenderloin boring, with less flavor than strip or rib-eye steaks. Served with a delicious, basil-infused compound butter, Plate’s version was a delightful mix of texture and temperature. Delicate ricotta gnocchi and cut cherry tomatoes just warmed through served as a perfect bed underneath.

A rack of lamb entrée garnered similar raves, and diners at my table were quick to devour every bit of the rare lamb, although the entrees were slow to arrive that night. That we sat steps away from the open kitchen, watching as dishes were picked up and delivered to most of the other tables, only accentuated our hunger.

As with any good Italian restaurant, Plate has something for the sweet tooth. Its dessert menu is short but, well, sweet. I tasted a very nice salted caramel budino with gingersnap crumble and honey whipped cream. The salted caramel brought a hint of savory to a soft-textured, indulgent dish.

Plate also offers the old standby, a flourless chocolate cake. The neighboring table had some to cap off a birthday dinner and they couldn’t stop raving about it.

In the end, Plate is cozy, and the jam-packed space indicates the restaurant is finding a following among the family-friendly restaurants of Brookside.

This story was originally published November 1, 2016 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Italian food takes on a modern accent at Plate in Brookside."